The genre of role-playing games is becoming more and more blurred every year, and many are now perceived so that the main indicator RPG is the development of characteristics of characters. However, this is just one of the so-called role-playing elements, the presence of which does not make the entire role role. It is to such a "camp with elements" our today's guest is an adventure game Masquerada: Songs and Shadowswhich be supplied by the above-mentioned basic RPG element, but the role-playing game is not. Perhaps such an introduction will seem to someone strange, but it is necessary for the correct mood of the reader.

The developers have positioned their project as an action-RPG with an active pause, expanding the tactical features for the player, however they forgot to add most of those mechanics and conventions to the game that turn a bright isometric adventure into the role-playing game. There are no side tasks and the opportunity to explore the world, there is no such equipment and weapons, with the exception of "Mastery" - witchcraft masks that do the characters with superhuman abilities. There is a lot of NPC in the game, but it is impossible to interact with them, the solution system is absent as a phenomenon, and the most important thing is the project mercilessly linear. Left zone? You will not be able to bring back and collect missing document.

Therefore, I insist on the fact that Masquerada is an isometric adventure with the role-playing elements, but not the tactical RPG, which the developers stated during the Kickstarter campaign. We figured out and go on! Adventure It turned out to be definitely interesting and exciting, despite the large number of incomprehensible terms, which the history of the player bombed from the very first minutes, as if the allied aviation in the sky over Dresden. Many titles have Italian origin, or stylized under Italian, which is completely not surprising - all game entourage is based on the Renaissance Epoch in Italy.

Anaturazh, visual design and script are the main pillars that confidently hold this game and allocate it among the others. The history of the game tells about the exile named Chicheno Gavar, which returned to the hometown of the call of the head of the local government, the office. He is entrusted to investigate and find a missing person who tried to reveal the secret of Mastery. As it turned out, our hero is familiar with the missing and owes him life - five years ago, Chichero almost sentenced to the death penalty, but it was the missing scientist who insisted that the guy would simply be expelled to a distant island. Of course, given this circumstance, our hero could not abandon the task.

After reading the word "investigation" in the description of the scenario, many people may have a thought: "Oh, we will investigate the intricant mysteries and intrigues!". To some extent, such a thought is correct - the intricateness of mysteries and intrigues in the game is available, it will not provide the player to the player unexpected turns of the script and will be able to surprise. However, we will investigate anything like players. Instead, it makes scenarios, completely speaking each nodule, and we will only direct the heroes command from the point "A" to the point "B", then to the point "B" and so on according to the alphabet. On his path, Chicheno will meet new and old acquaintances, will gain faithful associates and, most interesting, really will reveal a lot of class secrets before the player, intriguing and focusing curiosity.

In addition to the large number of dialogues and information scrolls found during the trip or added to the library as a result of communication with the characters, or after activating some scene, there are quite a few battles in the game. All of them are very similar and routine: we move from the enemy to the enemy, we use special attacks and try to apply as much damage as possible in the back of the villain, so that it is possible to demolish its health and do not bother with a shield. Protective auras cover all the characters in front, both opponents and a player team.

The battles are carried out in real time, the player manages one of three affordable characters when as two acts under the control of artificial intelligence. We can switch at any time between the characters, as well as enter the battle of the active pause, where you can distribute all the characters of the team and appoint which skills they will be applied, and on which enemies to focus. The piece on paper is interesting, but in reality it does not have to use, at least at the normal level of complexity. A much more efficient approach is to pump up the heroes of useful fighting skills and masked, expanding their arsenal abilities. By the way, pumping is also damn linear, the game gives glasses skills for victory in plot battles. Shah and Mat, lovers to pump.

Masquerada combat adventure is decorated: Songs and Shadows is very colorful and high quality. Here is a pleasant cartoon rice and excellent animation, the developers did not regret the time and resources to revive the work of their talented artists. The world of the game is felt alive, unusual and fabulous, and the journey itself is like reading a book with pictures, during which you periodically distract to various routine actions. In this parallel, plot fragments are reading the pages of the book, the run from point to the point is equal to slow overflow, and the battles are presented with the most routine and distracting actions.

Separately, I want to praise the voice acting, which is not only high-quality, but also accompanies all the dialogues in the game. It is very cool, because the actors of the voice acting perfectly coped with their task, managed to transfer both the mood, and emotions, and peculiar accents, and not bad humor. But the translation that I initially would call very good, plunges from time to time. It becomes noticeable that translators did not always understand, in which context words are used and some phrases. For example, when the characters arrive at the appointed place and say "That's it", the translation "that's all" looks very incorrect.

Trophy hunters will surely please the presence of a platinum cup and its comparative simplicity. To obtain platinum, you will need attentiveness to find all the collective items scattered on the locations, but most trophies are just for the passage of the project. The main thing is not to rush to move from location to location, because there will be no paths back. I so missed one scroll, accidentally once again by pressing "x", when after the plot dialogue right under my character there was a circle of transition. And another funny moment: in one of the trophies there is a clear reference to the wonderful manga and the TV series Full Metal Alchemist: after the victory over the boss Chimera, we get a silver cup with the name "Ed ... Ward ...". Even shattered somehow ...

Fantasy tactical RPG, the plot of which unfolds in the beautiful city of the OMBR, where our hero is returned by Cicero Gavaro, to reveal the secret of the bold abduction, who shook the whole city!

The game is updated from the demo version to the full version!

In the game you are waiting for tactical battles that can be stopped at the right time to give new orders and make important decisions. All events and battles will occur in the town called the OMBR. The city resembles a beautiful Venice. The main character is Cicero Gavaro. Gavaro - an exile and he will have to return to his native fenats. The game often will have to use magic, and for this you need special masks that have magical power. Mask owner will be able to understand ancient languages, becoming invisible and know the most powerful spells. Many town residents have such masks. Cicero will have helpers with their masks, but only you can help him to unravel the mysterious abduction, which shocked all the inhabitants of the city.

Navigate The Masked Deceptions and Deadly Magic of a Vividly Venetian City In This Fully Voiced Pause-for-Tactics RPG.

In The Turmoil-Ridden Citte Della Ombre, Religion Holds No Sway. ONLY THE SONGS SUNG OF ONE'S DEEDS WILL CARRY AN OMBRIAN'S LEGACY BEYOND DEATH. Those WHO HOLD Even The Smallest Morsel of Power Will Make Every Effort to Ensure Their Songs Live ON. ENTER THE MASCHERINES - MASKS THAT GRANT THEIR WIELDERS THE POWER TO CHANNEL THE ELEMENTS AND CAST DESTRUCTIVE MAGIC.

The Mascherines Have Perpetuated A Culture of Inequality Between The Power-Hungry Guildsmen Known As The Masquerada and The Impoverished Lower Classes, The Contadani. A PROLONGED CIVIL WAR, IGNITED by Contadani Rebels Who Steal Mascherines from The Masquerada, Has Only Drawn Scars of Mistrust Across the Citte Since.

One of Ombre's Finest Sleuths, Cicero Gavar, Was Exiled For A CRIME AGAINST The State Five Years Ago, But He Is Now Summoned Back to Ombre to Solve The Mysterious Kidnapping of the Diplomat RaziTof Azrus. AS Other Members of the Masquerada Join His Investigation, All Having Their Doubts About One Another Within This Culture of Deception, Their Faith Will Be Pushed to the Limit As A Deeper Conspiracy Lurks in the Shadows of Ombre.

Features:
You are Fight, Your Pace: Use The Tactical Pause to Control The Rush of Combat, Position Your Party and Plan Their Attacks by The Second.
A Game of Tag: Lay Elemental Magic Tags Upon Your Enemies, And Activate the Tags with Another Element for Crowd-Controlling Status Effects!
Vivid ComicBook Art: Feast Your Eyes On Dreamy Colors and Environmental Linework Inspied by French Comic Artists, Bledded with Stylized 3D Characters for a Timeless Aesthetic.
A Fully Voiced Tale: The Drama At The Heart Of Ombre Unfolds Over 12 Hours of Narrative, Fully Voiced by Vo Heavyweights Like Matthew Mercer and Jennifer Hale.

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However, Siero is clearly defined not only biography, but in general, all further actions. He will lead to investigate, decide where to go whom to beat and with whom to tell, ask questions and answer them, "Crave" the problems of the oppiators ... linear to such an extent that it does not fully allow the player to choose answers in dialogues, I'm not I am talking about side tasks, study of the surroundings and influence on the plot. Strange stroke? Not that word, and partly sorries him only one thing - it turned out a very good story, even in it, it is impossible to participate fully.

We are waiting for cool long conversations everywhere, each of which is completely voiced, and a wonderful acting game is fit to applaud. Of course, there is no beautiful rollers in an isometric RPG with Kickstarter no, but in conversations, "live" faces and gestures are shown - an excellent find, it turned out a much cooler of the usual "portraits" with dry text descriptions. Where words cannot do, slightly animated comic inserts come to the rescue - as the selection of stylish and beautiful. The appearance of y and generally worthy, although the excellent work of artists slightly urged technical shortcomings. No matter how cool, the "blurred" pavement under the legs looks sloppy, and special effects from witchcraft are too primitive.

And I often have to look at magic, because everything in our squad is masks. Some even in the figurative sense of mystery among residents of the city of Shadows in bulk. The characters attached to the investigator would have made the honor of any party RPG - their characters are spelled up to the smallest detail, and to observe the development of personalities and relationships in the group. A straight and hot-tempered warriper attached to us as an assistant and beastned, a healer, founding the orphanage, a scientist-archaeologist, an information merchant - not the most depletion company, especially since they are owned to competing factions. Notes and seero himself - a man of difficult fate, beating a bunch of own demons. Although some benefit from the ubiquitous "lossability" ...

The conditional class "class" of any of the companions define two things: the manner of fighting (tank-boding on the ambrusour . In the past preparation of Havar is still more fun. He knows how to modify the battle style on the go, moving from one rack to another - nor give a heralet from the first. The choice of elements for the hero seriously affects tactics: say, the "air" seero is easier to keep enemies at a distance, and the "fiery" comfortable feels in a crowd, scattering around the wave of the flame. True, the role-playing system is flexible enough, and allows you to create non-standard "builds". Just do not expect to exchange the right sword on the ax: new masks, reinforcing drawings and engraving on the weapon - the maximum "shmote", which can be found.

But it is necessary only for battles, and in any case you can not call particularly fascinating. Disassembly here is noticeably more pleasant than any, however, to complex tactical everybody from them far. Yes, it is necessary to constantly take away the associates from under the attacks along the area (and those with manic persistence rush back) and follow the flanks, there is even a combination of specials, but over time, it is bored with numerous opponents. In addition, fights are simply too much. Not that they violate the logic of the plot, but with a smaller number of "action" would be perceived better.

However, she leaves good memories. The swirling political detective smoothly flows into the excellent drama about friendship, devotion to ideals and overcoming himself, the port of the impression is that not quite relevant and, most importantly, the inexplicable "happy endom". Judging by the brief epilogue, the developers intend to distribute everything in Sikvel. I hope he will be more branched.

* * *

It is difficult to compare with brethren by genre. I do not like the idea of \u200b\u200bthe role-playing game, completely deprived of choice, but it is impossible to ignore the advantages of this work.

It has no relation to the cult universe World of Darkness and its branch. But here, too, a lot of subcovery intrigues, scandals, investigations and political games that numerous clans and groupings lead. And their participants also carry masks - however, in this case not in a figurative sense, but in the very direct.

Air magicians attack enemies, fiercely playing on the flute. By the way, here we also have to defend the cradle.

"Mask, who are you?"

Party tactical RPG, inspired by the history and culture of Italy, Renaissance. The authors have come up with a very rich, detailed worldly world, similar to the device of some Florentine or Venetian society, are many guilds, fractions, some organizations with their own powers and titles, scientists, merchants. And all this is connected to the ball of complex relationships, in which the above-mentioned scandals, intrigues, investigations, political games and power struggle are inevitable.

The difference is that there is magic in this world. Its source is a phenomenon called The Mascherines, and the tool is the most masks. Typical and very beautiful Venetian masks in which they went to Masquerad, here are attached to their owners not only spicy mystery, but also special magic skills. Naturally, access to them has only representatives of the highest classes and especially privileged people who all together make up that Masquerada. Defective lower layers are called Contadani. At some point between them, naturally, the civil war began.

Politics is engaged in you

The action unfolds in the city of Citte Della Ombre, and we play for a young man named Cicero Gavar. He also has the right to wear magic masks, because he is one of the best inspettore of the city - this is such a separate class of detectives and prosecutors in one person, which are subordinate to higher comrades, but at the same time they have very large powers to investigate a wide variety of cases, including State importance. Therefore, everyone respects and, just happen, run to them for help.

The problem is that five years ago, Brother Sissero participated in an attempt to the state version in Ombre and was killed, so our hero was sent to the link. And then suddenly the mayor of the city (whom he wanted to overthrow the brother) causes an OPERA-Inspector back, returns all the powers and asks to do a very important thing - to find a missing scientist who studied the origin of this mask magic itself.

The picture looks very stylish and pretty.

Despite the whole, understandable in this case, the dislike for the sovereign, it agrees - he needs money. Just asks not to pull him into any politics. Naive. From this point on, the exciting political detective begins, in which there is a place and insidious conspiracies, and magical artifacts, and secret operations in the rear of criminal groups, and backstage games.

Home reading

Masquerada: Songs and Shadows Makes a bet on the plot - no side tasks, a free study of the world and other liberties. Moreover, the authors tell the linear history underlined. In the game, the mass of dialogues, but we do not accept participation in them - we listen, read or skip. But the latter is strictly not recommended - the lack of freedom and choice the authors with interest compensate for the fascination of the history itself, the study of study and the world as a whole, and each character in particular.

In fact, we have an exciting interactive book - richly illustrated (look at the screenshots), equipped with stylish comic inserts, perfectly voiced by professional actors, supplemented with beautiful orchestral music and even penetrated opera parties.

The game has a built-in Code where information is made about all aspects of life, guilds, factions, titles, characters. There's just mountains of text. And if you read all this, the wonderful world will open in front of you - with your story, with a bunch of various details and nuances. In this case, all that is happening is perceived very whole - here you can dissolve, and then still require continuation and present books based on.

About people

Especially many records about characters who surround our hero. Every second counter one way or another is familiar with Sissero, and some interesting story is connected with him. For example, going on cases in the hall of singing trees (yes, there is here and such), we encounter a touching blind girl with a handkerchief on the face hiding eyes. They hugged, a couple of words were mentioned, went further. And the Code appeared a whole story from which we learn how this girl once saved us life and why she blinded. And so here in everything ...

On each screen there are many different details, but to interact with all this, as a rule, it is impossible.

Special accent authors are on relationships with the nearest partners of the hero. As you pass to it, very different personalities are joined. Here and impulsive sailor, the brother of the missing scientist, and a strict girl with a sword attached to us as a sort of observer and spy, and a charming representative of one criminal authority, to which we are forced to seek information.

Everyone has their own character - the characters can quarrel, disappear somewhere for a while, then go back or, despite our okhriches, suddenly rush into battle, slightly thoring all the conspiracy. The most important thing is to have their own story with each of them, and some have very unexpected secrets. Therefore, relations with partners are constantly evolving, and more and more new records about them appear in the Code.

Well, in general, in history, many things are connected with the shadows and the secrets of the past, including, of course, with the past of our hero. The same sailor first tries to help us cope with the personal demons, then we already stretch your help to help him ... In short, follow all this terribly interesting.

Mask on the forehead

Develop all this magnificent history in Masquerada: Songs and Shadows Not only dialogues and texts, but also battles. In general, they are quite typical for party RPG - characters attack and use real-time skills, but at any time you can put all this case on a pause and personally distribute instructions.

Abilities are associated with the magic of elements - fire, water, earth or air. At the very beginning, you choose the element for your hero, and his partners specialize are defined in advance. That is, someone will throw fiery balls and erect the fiery walls, and someone - rushing with mud and dust or blow the opponents to the wind. Each character has four such "skill" that you develop as new levels and glasses have the ability.

Comic from the game would also be excellent.

However, given the unusualness of the very setting itself, it is understandable, there are also their nuances. Each is also available one Ultimate ability associated with those masks. Special energy is spent on it, accumulating in battle - Mask Charge. Initially, there is only one such mask - for example, if you chose the element of water, you can periodically freeze all opponents around. Then others will come across, and at any time you can change them by choosing the ability to the current situation. But you can only use your natural masks - redistributing the glasses of ordinary abilities, but you can not change specialization.

Brownian motion

In addition, racks play an important role in battles - they not only allow you to quickly attack in melee, to protect or use long-range weapons, but also generate different passive skills, and also affect the accumulation rate of Mask Charge. There is also a successful "crafting", which allows creating runes with passive bonuses.

In general, the battles turned out to be interesting and tense and remind what we saw in, - here, for example, we need to constantly monitor the directions of attacks, by exploring their fighters from under massive blows and magical "art stins."

However, there is one thing, and in this personally I have a sole complaint to Masquerada: Songs and Shadows. We are talking about the intellect of our partners. Overtakes left without supervision, they behave like flying berserki and hysteric coils - chaotically run from one enemy to another, beat whom they hit and climb on the Rogon with the diligence of the Honored Kamikadze of the Republic of Ombre.

You can give an order to keep the position so that this tantrum finally stood in one place and beat only those who ended up. But as soon as you specify use the skill, the fighter goes into the chaotic movement mode. Accordingly, setting up situations to whom and when the character will apply one or another ability, it does not evenly help - in the interruptions it will still run with a weapon from one to another.

To find new masks, you need to carefully look around.

That is, it really lacks the buttons to "attack my goal" or "protect the main character". As a result, you have to do a lot of unnecessary gestures, constantly including a pause and personally squeak every nose. Or disconnect the character from the character that many times complicate the microement of the party in battle. And even go to public humiliation and reduce the complexity.

These are two in one. A magnificent interactive book in a beautiful package - with an exciting history, Venetian masks and opera music. And the harsh tactical RPG with its own characteristics - and, unfortunately, with problems in the behavior of partners. If the authors are will figure out the last (and in patches they do a special rate on the polishing of AI), then all higher points will receive from us - these role-playing roles worked in the literary plan today makes only Obsidian Entertainment.. Well, while - deserved "commendable." And yes, readers, learn English - lose a lot ...

Pros: Fascinating plot, full intrigue, conspiracies and secrets; perfectly worked in the world; superbly prescribed characters and dialogues; Dynamically developing relationships with partners; complex tactical battles; Interesting mechanics of spontaneous magic; Stylish picture; Atmospheric orchestral soundtrack and expressive sounding of each dialogue.
Minuses: Total linearity will not like everything; AI partners in battle frankly lame; no equipment and "luth"; You can only persist on "Checkpoints".

50 10

Year:September 30, 2016.
Genre: Roleplay, action, fantasy
Developer:Witching Hour Studios.
Publisher:Ysbryd Games.
Interface language: RUS (MULTI)
Voice language: Eng
Type of publication:RePack
Version:1.20 (a)
Tablet:Not required (DRM-free from GOG)

System requirements:
Operating system: Windows 7+
Processor: 2.4 GHz Intel Core i3
RAM: 4 GB
Video adapter: Intel HD Graphics 4400
Hard disk space: 12 GB

Description:
Patty the web of the lies and deadly magic that they hide the Venetian masks in this beautiful role-playing game with real-time battles, a pause mode and completely voiced dialogues. The inhabitants of the restless city of Sitte della Omebré is not affected by religious sacraments. The eternal life in it can be found, only by writing your name in the lines of songs that poets are made about the desperate exploits. Made at least a small grain of power people do our best to take place in history. It is possible to achieve this with the help of masked - enchanted masks that endow the owners with the ability to call for the help of the elements and bring deadly spells on enemies.

Features:
▪ Your fight, your rhythm: Take advantage of the tactical pause mode to control the course of combat, strategically place your fighters and plan attacks during the battle.
▪ Signs of Fate: Natural Magic celebrates your enemies signs. Give a sign into action with the help of the magic of another element to stun the number of enemies superior to you and get an advantage!
▪ Bright and live graphics: Enjoy fantastic colors and incredible images in the style of the best artists of French comics, which give three-dimensional characters a unique style and memorable appearance.
▪ Fully voiced history: Dramatic events in the heart of Ombre are unfolded for more than 12 hours. The game gave their voices such famous actors like Jennifer Hale and Matthew Mercer.

FEATURES REPAKA:
▪ The basis of the DRM Free version from Gog.com
▪ Changing language in the game settings
▪ Game version - 1.20
▪ Installation ~ 4 min
▪ Repack from Qoob